Water is the subject of ongoing conservation efforts due to increasing costs, potential shortages, and concerns regarding the condition and resiliency of supply infrastructure. In 2005, for example, the state of New York consumed about 923 billion gallons of water, about two-thirds of which were for its domestic supply. In the short-term, it is projected that population growth and maintenance on part of the aqueduct that supplies New York City with potable water from the Catskills Reservoir will further exacerbate the strain on the potable water supply.
Additionally, overwhelmed and aging wastewater infrastructure is susceptible to Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSO) during storm events that result in the overflow of untreated sewage to surface waters. There are hundreds of SSO outfalls annually discharging billions of gallons of combined sewage into New York Harbor, creating a major water quality hazard for New York City waters. Other geographic areas are likewise affected.
The demand on a water supply, such as a municipal water supply, and the associated strain on sewerage infrastructure may be reduced through implementation of an onsite wastewater treatment and reuse system (WTRS). Treated water produced by the WTRS may be put to various uses on location. Several residential towers in Manhattan, for example, have demonstrated the ability to reduce potable water consumption and sewer discharge by up to 50% using onsite WTRSs. This strategy reduces strain on city regional infrastructure and provides the building with a resilient source of water.